Geoff Hamilton was born in the East End of London, and his passion for gardening was strengthened during his school holidays by helping out in local nurseries. He went on to complete his national Diploma in Horticulture at Writtle Agricultural College in Essex.

He soon became a journalist with Garden News and Practical Gardening, and was one of the first gardeners to start advocating organic methods. His pioneering techniques and points of view led to his first TV presenting job, fronting Gardening Diary on Anglia TV in the early 1970s.

His no-nonsense and accessible presenting style made him popular with viewers, and in 1979 he was given a regular slot on the BBC’s Gardener’s World. In 1984 he found a Victorian farmhouse in Rutland, Leicestershire, called Barnsdale with more than five acres of land attached. This was to be the new home of Gardener’s World for more than a decade.

Geoff’s practical, hands-on experience, gentle humour and desire to share his failures as well with his audience made him a gardening legend, inspiring millions. He was voted Gardener Of The Millennium by readers of Amateur Gardener.

Geoff presented Gardener’s World for 17 years and also made a number of other gardening series during the 1990s, including the ever popular Geoff Hamilton's Cottage Gardens.

Geoff’s TV work has set the template for a new generation of TV gardeners – the likes of Alan Titchmarsh, Monty Don, Matt James, Diarmud Gavin and Rachel De Thame all keep Geoff’s legacy alive.